Missingno
by Latyon
Summary: After a successful verdict in a high-profile case, attorney Luther Roth - father of Red - attempts to distance himself from his client - the leader of Team Rocket, Giovanni - but is roped into a horrific scheme involving perfect Pokémon and a terrifying glitch in the Pokémon Storage System.
1. Chapter 1 - The Verdict

Author's Note: I'm back again! I've been itching to write and I keep having this idea about doing a Pokémon story. I hope you enjoy, and please, leave a review! It's the reviews that keep me coming back.

Not much else to say, just wanted to throw out an idea and see what sticks. This story is rated M for graphic violence, strong language, alcohol and implied sexual content.

Chapter 1 - The Verdict

 _"Pokémon breeding will never be the same."_

 _Luther sipped from a glass of whiskey - no rocks - as his shadowed cohort intoned his almost threatening offer. The trial had ended days ago, and Luther promised himself he'd never get involved with his accomplice's schemes again. It had been a narrow victory - any other lawyer would have given up when presented with the litany of crimes the leader of the Rockets had racked up. Pokémon trafficking, Pokémon theft, a series of accusations regarding a certain Celadon City resort and casino. Arson. Extortion. Gang violence._

 _Murder. By proxy, sure, but murder all the same._

 _But Luther was not just any lawyer. He had represented the Silph Company when they were accused of violating Kantonese anti-trust legislation. He had been the head of the steering committee for the class-action lawsuit against the defective Carbos drug that led to the deaths of many world-renowned Pokémon League competitors. But most importantly - he could not say no. If he did, his wife and son would die._

 _The two sat below the dim lights in Saffron City's most exclusive club, on the top floor of 2 Devreaux Avenue, right in the heart of downtown. A sidelong glance through the club's floor-to-ceiling windows would reveal to Luther the majestic Silph Co. headquarters - a building that his accomplice had expressed criminal interest in. "A matter of time."_

 _"Our arrangement is over, Giovanni," Luther growled, his steel blue eyes meeting the pitch black of the Rocket leader's. "You are a free man. Call off your goons."_

 _"A deal is a deal, Mr. Roth. Your family is safe. I owe you a great debt, and this is my proposal to repay it. I am not a man to leave debts unfulfilled."_

 _"_ _You owe me nothing. Leave us be."_

 _Giovanni had not taken a single sip of his gin. It sat sweating on the table before him. In the months Luther had worked with the Rocket leader, he'd noticed that Giovanni would never drink until he'd solidified a deal. Alcohol was a victory drink for him – for Luther, it just meant that it was past 5 p.m._

 _"_ _But I do. I repay every debt. EVERY debt, Mr. Roth."_

 _"_ _You've done that and more," Luther seethed. He never wanted to get involved. He'd fought corruption since the day he'd passed the bar exam. He'd been approached by every manner of corrupt individual – politicians, pharmaceuticals. But none quite so persistent as Giovanni._

 _"_ _All I ask," the Rocket boss persisted, "is to show you what I've accomplished."_

 _Luther twisted his wedding ring. He thought of his wife, his son._

 _"_ _And need I remind you, Mr. Roth. I am not the only one with dirty laundry."_

 _"_ _Listen here-"_

 _As Luther felt his temper flare, his thought was cut short by the high-pitched wail of two working women, clad in only G-strings and star-shaped pasties as they slid up on either side of Giovanni in the small booth the two men were sharing. He was a regular at this establishment, and the girls knew him well. One with bright blue hair, the other red – both with athletic bodies and absolutely no modesty._

 _"_ _Mr. Giovanni! You didn't say hi to us when you came in!"_

 _Giovanni's dour demeanor gave way to a much more human response when the ladies brought their bodies close to him. Luther had never seen Giovanni in a jovial light, but the smile on Giovanni's face was sincere._

 _"_ _Ladies! I want you to meet a friend of mine!" Giovanni exclaimed, the look in his eyes as he glanced at Luther betraying his deceptive intentions. "This is Luther! He's my lawyer!"_

 _"_ _Hiiiiii Luther!" the two woman squeaked, giggling as they did – a successful lawyer meant good money for them. Luther could not help his human reaction to the women – they were young. Attractive. And he'd been trapped in Saffron City for months._

 _Shooting a dirty look at Giovanni, Luther pasted on a fake, gleaming smile at the ladies. One was a porcelain goddess, her pale skin taking on the flashing colored lights of the club – the other, a darker beauty much more in line with Luther's recent desires._

 _"_ _This pretty lady over here is Ruby," Giovanni explains to Luther, "And milady on the right is Sapphire,"_

 _Sensing the women's apprehension over his dour attitude, Luther gave in. Perhaps it was the whiskey talking, or his cabin fever at having been "away on business" for so long. But for a man so invested in his work – he had cause to celebrate._

 _Even if Giovanni was a prick. Even if he was allegedly involved in those murders. Those thefts. Those abused animals._

 _With a smile, Giovanni lifted his glass and held it in the air._

 _"_ _To a wonderful night, Luther."_

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	2. Chapter 2 - The Choice

Chapter 2 – The Choice

* * *

"You look so handsome! You look just like your father did, all those years ago," Mrs. Roth exclaimed, placing her slender hands on Red's shoulders. "Oh, honey. I can't wait to see all of the wonderful things you're going to do in this world."

Red blinked the sleep from his eyes – it was hardly six in the morning. His confirmation ceremony wasn't for another three hours, but he had to look proper. His suit hung elegantly on his slim frame, and his normally wild hair had been tamed by a comb and wax. He looked proper. Professional. He looked the way he'd imagined a president would.

Red was no president. He didn't have the guts. The demeanor. He was loud – rude. Crass. He was 10.

"Mom, can you lower the lights a little bit," he pleaded. He wanted none of this – he never wanted this.

"Oh, saddle up, young one," Mrs. Roth advised, her country roots showing in her language. Mrs. Roth herself was decked out in a daring black pantsuit, perfectly formed for her curves. She was three decades her son's senior, but had the tenacity of a much younger woman. Like her husband, she was a go-getter, or so she liked to believe. In truth, she had not worked in years – she didn't need to. But she still had to keep up appearances.

"Son," she cooed, kneeling down to his level, placing her chin on his shoulder and meeting his eyes in the mirror. "This is your big day. The Pokémon League Academy? One of the most prestigious schools in all of Kanto!"

"Mom-"

"No time for protest, my amazing baby boy!"

Mrs. Roth examined her son in the mirror and licked her finger, spiking the hair at his forehead just a fraction of an inch. Red's appearance was important. He would be standing alongside all of society's most prestigious youth in the confirmation ceremony. Silph Company's heir, the daughter of the Goldenrod Media Conglomerate, even Professor Oak's grandson. He had to look presentable.

"Mom," he moaned again. In truth, he had failed the classes. He had failed the exams. He did not know how he'd won admission to the League Academy. And he never wanted to in the first place.

He knew his parents were wealthy. They had homes all over the world – he'd never wanted for a thing. He was well-fed, well-dressed – he had a nice home in Pallet Town, his mother's birthplace. But this – all of this – this was not who he was. He did not want to go to school. He did not want to study among the hoity-toity elite.

"Can I say no?"

Mrs. Roth batted her eyes. Her expression contorted – like she was going to say something. Instead, she seemed to catch her own reflection in the mirror – her mascara was too thick. She grabbed a brush off the counter and scraped it to perfection.

"Now, go on, Red," Mrs. Roth ordered, "Go eat your breakfast and collect the mail. You're such a wonderful son! I can't believe my baby is going to the League!"

Red stepped into the cool morning air as the first vestiges of sunlight graced the horizon, painting the treetops with a golden pink. His breakfast – a victorious pile of waffles and eggs – sat ready for him on the patio's glass tabletop. The smell of it made his stomach turn.

* * *

Luther awoke early, as he always did when he was hungover. Through the hotel's plate glass windows, the sun's first intrusion glared.

His head pounded, his body covered in sweat – not all of it his, he was sure. As he stirred, he felt the breathing of another close by – Sapphire lay facing the other way, her torso rising and falling with rhythmic, peaceful breaths.

Pulling on his slacks, Luther fought the blinding light and his pulsing headache to the sliding glass door leading to the shared balcony between his room and Giovanni's. The Rocket boss sat at the balcony's table perusing the day's newspaper, a cigar stuck between his yellowing teeth. He looked no worse for wear than he had the night before.

"Morning, sunshine," Giovanni greeted him, his eyes barely deviating from the paper.

"Fuck you," Luther replied, fumbling through his pocket for his last half cigarette.

The Rocket boss sucked his cigar smoke deep into his chest and blew it out, the acrid cloud catching the vibrant rays of the rising sun. "Nah, Ruby took care o' that. By the way, my men say Devon Co. is going public next week – I know a stocks guy, if you're interested."

"I'm not."

"Suit yourself," Giovanni said through a sinister grin. "Have you given any thought to my proposal?"

Luther ignored him. Today was the first day of the school year. He thought he'd be home to see his son off to the League. But he wasn't.


	3. Chapter 3 - The Million Dollar Pokémon

Chapter 3 - The Million Dollar Pokémon

* * *

The Saffron City Gymnasium was a labyrinth of rooms designed to confuse challengers and prevent them from ever reaching the leader, the ever-serious Sabrina. She was a renowned psychic, and it showed - Luther could feel her probing his thoughts as soon as he walked into the building. Fortunately, Giovanni had keys to the backdoor - he and Sabrina were friends.

 _"Gio's brought me a friend, huh?"_ came a disembodied thought into Luther's mind, like what he imagined a schizophrenic might hear. It was chilling to its very core - lacking all emotion.

As the two walked down a narrow metal walkway, Luther peered down onto the battlefield and spotted, at one end, a man clad in black, his eyes hidden beneath the shadows of his beret, a red R emblazoned across his chest. One of Giovanni's lackeys, presumably. At the other stood a youthful man with wild black hair, his body covered in a light purple garment, his eyes hidden behind reflective glasses. One of Sabrina's.

"Fancy a little wager, Luther?" Giovanni joked. "My challenger versus Sabrina's psychic. Shall we say...one hundred million?"

"Something tells me I'd be getting the shaft on that bet."

"Not that you aren't used to it."

The ceiling lights erupted to life in sequence, starting at the Rocket grunt's end until the whole room was filled with sterile white. The Rocket had a wide, yellowed grin plastered on his face, like a wily Persian. He tossed a black and red ball idly into the air as he awaited his command.

Sabrina, darling," Giovanni called out into the air. "Could I trouble you for some refreshments?"

 _"Of course, I'll send my staff. Will that be all?"_ she communicated to him telepathically from some unseen vantage. He nodded his head.

Luther shifted uneasily on the balls of his feet as a wall panel slid away, revealing a posh lounge area. VIP - Giovanni would settle for nothing less. The Rocket boss gestured for Luther to sit. He complied, and Giovanni joined.

"Feast your eyes, Luther. What you're about to witness is unparalleled strength. You are about to see the world's first million dollar Pokémon."

The two trainers opposite one another took fighting stances as a scoreboard came to life, showing portraits of the two men, each with two LED Poké Ball icons signifying the terms of the match. Two monsters each. Battle to the death.

"Begin!" Giovanni roared, and the trainers tossed their first Poké Balls into the air, two flashing lights giving rise to opposing life forms.

* * *

"Are you excited about your big day, Master Roth?" Elbert asked, pouring a glass of cold milk to accompany the boy's breakfast. Red sat huddled uncomfortably in the cushioned iron chair, having not touched a bite of his meal.

"Sure," Red dismissed the butler. "Thrilled."

"The Pokémon League Academy is a wonderful school. A degree from there can take you anywhere in the world. You are a very fortunate young man."

"I've never been much of a student. You know that, Elbert."

"You're just young," Elbert assured him. "And may I say, sheltered. What you are feeling - this sort of claustrophobia, this anxiety - it will pass once you arrive at the academy. Trust me - I've been in your position before."

Red cocked his head to the side and raised an eyebrow. "You, Elbert?" he asked through chuckles. "You went to the Academy?"

"I certainly did! And it was a wonderful experience for me that I'll never forget."

"But then why are you a servant?" Red responded callously. "I thought you said you can do anything with an Academy degree."

Elbert shared a chuckle with the young man.

"Yes, well, I never said I graduated. I was...impatient. You see, on the eve of my second year there, I decided that I did not want to wait to make my mark on the world. I left in the middle of the night - just walked away. I took the path less traveled. And while yes, I am a butler - the years I spent on the road are a memory I wouldn't trade for anything. Not for any degree or any amount of money. Those were the best years of my life - apart from serving you, of course."

Red grabbed his fork and used the side to cut into his waffles. Something Elbert had said had stirred his appetite.

"No regrets?" the young man asked, syrup dripping from the corner of his lips.

"No regrets," the butler echoed, giving the child a quick wink before leaving him to his breakfast.

As Red ate, he kept his eyes looking ahead, down the grassy path out of town. The path to Viridian City.

 _The road less traveled._


	4. Chapter 4 - The Deal

Chapter 4 - The Deal

* * *

Squinting as the summoned Pokémon erupted from their Poké Balls, Luther spotted the signature silhouette of a Kadabra forming before Sabrina's psychic henchman. It only took a few seconds for the alpha waves radiating off of Kadabra to cause a dull pain in Luther's forehead, just behind his eyes. The psychic Pokémon was powerful and very dangerous in the wrong hands - if it was fighting in this arena, it was already in the wrong hands. Its eyes glowed red as the lights in the gym flickered on and off, the sounds of the gym's mechanical systems struggling to maintain their integrity in the presence of the Pokémon.

On the other side of the battlefield, the white light of the released Pokémon faded as a series of starbursts, like small fireworks, shot off of the stony body of a cream-colored biped. The whole building shook as the Rhydon stomped its feet.

"I've never seen one that color," Luther said, to no one in particular.

The psychic bowed his head - his commands to Kadabra were purely mental. _"Ice Punch."_

The Kadabra made the first move, its fist turning to ice as it lunged across the battlefield, powered by telekinesis, stirring a cloud of dust in its wake. It swung its might toward the cream-colored Rock-type's face and hit hard, the impact causing seismic ripples across the gym. But the Rhydon stood firm, narrowing its eyes at the audacious psychic type, to the shock of its trainer, Luther and no one else.

"Rhydon, Megahorn!" the Rocket grunt shouted out, and before Luther could blink, the Rhydon's drill-like horn had burrowed deep into the psychic Pokémon's chest. Blood sprayed into the air as the Rhydon pulled back its head and flung Kadabra into the air, its dead body coming to rest in the center of the field.

Luther winced - Pokémon battles had always rubbed him the wrong way, especially when they were fights to the death. As Kadabra's body cooled on the arena floor, its life force departing, a light on the scoreboard dimmed.

"Fair enough!" the psychic called out over the arena. The Rocket, eyes in shadow, displayed a sinister smile. "Alakazam! I choose you!"

An Ultra Ball cracked open against the arena floor and out came Alakazam, holding itself in the air with its psychic powers, its long mustache dangling down like that of an ancient guru. Rhydon stood in wait - Alakazam was a tricky opponent.

Sabrina's henchman, emotion hidden behind his mirrored glasses, gripped a small stone dangling from his neck, which began to glow with powerful light. His Pokémon let out a long, relaxed sigh as his body morphed. The flat space between his ears elongated into a spike, decorated with a red crystal. His stately mustache grew like rampant weeds, graying with age and settling in a knotty, bushy mess. Shaking his beard into position, the Pokémon crossed his legs in midair and tossed his spoons up, holding them in place with telekinesis as he took a floating lotus position.

"Rhydon! Bulldoze!"

 _"Alakazam, Thunder Wave."_

Static built in the air and Luther's hair stood on end as the floating Alakazam, powered up by a Mega stone, held forth its hands and sent ripples of powerful electric energy at the cream-colored dinosaur barreling toward it. Sparks leapt from the ground with each one of Rhydon's thunderous footfalls. The paralyzing effect failed to stop the behemoth in his tracks. Mere millimeters from certain death, Alakazam vanished into thin air. Rhydon kept moving - the psychic trainer was forced to dive out of the way as the stone beast raged past, embedding its horn in the wall.

Sensing an opportunity, Alakazam reappeared behind the struggling Rhydon.

 _"Encore."_

Seemingly from nowhere, more spoons appeared in front of Alakazam as he focused his energy on Rhydon. As if stuck in a time loop, the Pokémon backed up, then ran back into the wall. Backed up - ran into the wall, its horn puncturing deeper and deeper with each blow. Alakazam stood nearby in smug delight at his mastery of mental manipulation.

"Rhydon! Megahorn!"

The cream-colored beast did not respond.

Luther turned to Giovanni, who did not appear phased by his million-dollar Pokémon's apparent failure.

 _"Torment."_

Rhydon pulled itself out of the wall and turned to Alakazam, the fury in its eyes giving way to its darkest fears. The cold embrace of death wrapped around him and he could see the disappointed face of Giovanni in the background. Failure was his biggest fear. He would not fail.

He could not fail. He was born to battle.

With a feral roar, Rhydon broke free of Alakazam's influence and rushed forth once more, grabbing the Psychic-type and slamming him headfirst into the ground. Dazed, Alakazam attempted to teleport, but as his body faded, Rhydon reached through the psychic rift and pulled Alakazam back, converting his momentum into a suplex that left the Psychic-type nearly unconscious.

Alakazam's trainer removed his glasses to reveal the maddened gaze of a broken man. This was his last chance.

"Alakazam! FOCUS BLAST!"

The sage Pokémon lifted itself off of the ground and poured every bit of its remaining psychic power into pure physical energy. Rhydon stood ready.

The blast, like a distortion in space time, rippled through the air, bending light like a lens. The force struck Rhydon square in the chest, evoking a roar of horrific pain. The plates on Rhydon's chest split in two like shorn metal, exposing reddened, scaly skin underneath. The Pokémon's heart stopped.

Then restarted. Rhydon shook off the blow and stared down the psychic trainer.

Alakazam fell unconscious. But the terms of battle were clear.

As the psychic trainer begged for mercy - called for forfeit - Rhydon took precise, resounding steps toward the unconscious Pokémon.

Standing next to it, Rhydon relished its victory as its foot came down, over and over, on Alakazam's head until its once hyperintelligent brain was but a red smear on the stone floor.

* * *

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